The Sandwich Guy
by Dr.Jojo
Summary: Suppose to be the start of Season 3. Betty has chosen to go with Daniel and his son to France when there at the airport she feels she has made the wrong choice. The only thing she can think about is Gio. Daniel convinces her to change her ticket to Rome.
1. Daniels Decision

The boiling hot sun were shining on the JFK airport in New York at 4 PM. Almost nobody from the terminal looked out the windows on the rushing traffic of big planes outside except some curious children and a certain woman who on the other hand watched it with sadness in her eyes. Her name was Betty Suarez.

The past month she hadn't felt anything but guilt. That was the only feeling she knew nowadays. It had started with Henry rushing between New York and Tucson to be with her in the same time he had to plan for his baby. She had felt guilty because she had distracted him from it. After that she felt guilt for avoiding Gio because that's what Henry wanted. Then she felt guilt for hanging out with Gio without telling Henry about it. But what choice did she had? She would hurt either of them in both ways.

Then she felt guilt for almost rushing into a new relationship in the same minute Henry moved to Tucson permanently after the babys arrival. Then she felt guilty for having feelings for another guy. Gio. She had been trying to avoid the thought of that she actually wanted to be with him by saying they were in some kind of "exploring phase". What was all that about? Now it sounded really lame in her head. She had only said that because she didn't want to rush things with Gio in the same time she didn't want to lose him.

Now she was guilty for hurting both Henry and Gio by not choosing either of them. She had felt too pushed. The decision had been impossible to make. After that dream she had on the ground in the middle of that softball game – then she just had it. It's was too much for her.

But somehow she now stood at the airport. But she wasn't with Gio or Henry. She was with Daniel and Daniel Jr. She had decided to go to Paris 

with them. She had felt that was the best she could do. She had to solve some things with herself. She was exhausted. It had been such a burden to be feeling things for two guys at the same time. And it was also the right thing to do. It was the only right thing to do for the guys. Even if they had said they just wanted to know whom she would choose.

All of these things had been running through her head the days after the softball game. She had locked herself into her room just lying under a pillow. But now when she stood there at the airport with Daniel and his son, something still felt awfully wrong. Like she hadn't made the right choice at all – which she had though as soon as this morning. Daniel had even said she made the right choice by going with him for vacation in France. Her family hadn't said anything to her surprise. They said they didn't want to get involved with her choice. But Hilda got a weird look on her face when Betty told them her final decision. But she refused to speak her mind. So Betty just left.

"Hey Betty, here's your sandwich!" someone suddenly said by her ear and she almost jumped off the floor. Daniel and his son were suddenly by her side. Daniel reached out a sandwich with a smile. She just stared at it. A sandwich. She wanted to cry. First of all, she didn't have the appetite at all and that freaked her out. Two, the sandwich reminded her of Gio and that just made her heart beat faster, and that even freaked her out more. She actually stood there thinking of him. She had promised herself to not think about either him or Henry. If she would ever think of one of them, she would defiantly think about Henry. But now it was Gio. She didn't give 

Henry a single thought. She didn't even miss him. Now she was really freaked out. What the hell was wrong with her?

"I don't want it." She pushed the sandwich away. Daniel looked a bit chocked.

"Why? Betty, are you okay?" He looked at her like he thought she was really sick. She felt sick, but not really physically. She looked at Daniel with some tears filled in her eyes. She couldn't stop it. Just the thought of Gio was like pushing the on-button in a tearfactory.

"I don't know Daniel."

Daniel lent the sandwich to Daniel Jr who immediately started to eat on it before he took Betty by her arm and sat her down.

"What is it?" he asked when he sat down by her side. She looked at him by the time she let the tears pop out and role down her blossomed cheeks.

"I was so sure this was the right thing to do. To go with you, to take a break from all of the madness. But now it doesn't feel anything but wrong."

Daniel got that sad look on his face she really didn't want in this moment. It made her cry even more.

"What do you think is right then? Maybe nothing feels right now? Maybe you should give it some time."

Daniel sounded really smart and supporting and surprisingly his advice sounded really clever. But unfortunately she didn't think it would work any good.

"Time can heal many things, but it can't help me making the right decision."

Daniel gave it a small smile in the same time he looked sad.

"What if someone did it for you?"

She looked a bit questioning on him.

"Maybe you can't make this decision yourself."

She shrugged her shoulders. It did make kind of sense.

"Well, who?"

Daniel now shrugged his own shoulders. "Maybe I can as your friend?"

Betty nodded. Man, it would be a whole lot better if someone did that hard job. It would make it a whole lot of easier. Because she really trusted Daniel as a friend. She trusted him for knowing what was best for her. In this moment she felt you couldn't even choose what kind of soda she would order, so how would she ever be able to make such a big decision?

"I stand by what I said earlier…"

Betty tried to remember but didn't.

"I think you should go to Rome and be with Gio who really loves you."

Betty gasped. She didn't see that coming.

"I know Henry loves you too. But not like that. I've watched Gio with you for a long time. He's been more caring for you and more romantic than Henry will ever be. Just think about your birthday. He did try to make it like you wanted. Henry hadn't even planned of doing such a thing for you. You had to make the dinner reservations by yourself for god sake!"

Betty just sat there with her mouth wide open. She was in a chock.

"I think you've been blind all of this time. You've done everything in your power to think that Henry is the man of your dreams. But in fact, the man of your dreams has been there all along, in the sandwich guy."


	2. Giovanni Rossi

"Stop!" Betty screamed to the employees by gate 3 whom she approached by running as fast as she could. The people behind the board looked really surprised when she threw herself over the board and reached out her boarding pass.

"Sorry ma'm, the boarding has just closed."

"But come on! I'm sorry for being late, I was on my way to go to Paris, but then I changed my mind and wanted to go to Rome instead, because there's a guy there who invited me to go there with him, but there's this other guy who proposed to me and I couldn't decide what to do. But now that I realized he loves me I want to go to Rome and…"

The male interrupted her. "Okay, whatever shuts you up."

He took the boarding pass. Betty made a jump and a loud "jippie", before she rushed into the gate. She was so happy she just had to scream.

When Betty got on the plane and they had lifted her heart was beating so fast. It beat as fast as the time Gio kissed her in his deli. It had came as a big chock to her. Not only that he immediately did it, also that she liked it. First she couldn't admit it to herself, but by the time she danced with him at the school dance, she knew she was feeling something for him. Now she knew for sure, she loved him. She was so excited she couldn't eat a thing which was the first time in her life. It wasn't like her at all. Usually she always had some snack in her handbag because she was always in for a treat. But now, the only treat she wanted was Gio.

Oh, Gio, she thought with a sigh. What had she done to him? He probably sat there in that expensive hotel in the double room Daniel had booked for them. He was probably just lying there all depressed. She felt guilty again. For hurting him. She felt guilty that she hadn't come with him in the first place. That would have speared a lot of tears in her bedroom and probably in a hotel room in Rome. But maybe she was naive to think he was depressed over her. Maybe he had come over it and meet a beautiful Italian girl with long legs and high heeled shoes. Honestly she thought that suited him more that she ever would. That was why the thought of Gio maybe liking her never had crossed her mind. She was out of his league. He was a really attractive guy who could get any girl he wanted. So why did he want her? Of course that kiss had come as chock. How come he liked her?

These thoughts had been killing her all weekend, but now she decided to not wonder about it anymore. He liked her. She didn't have to be so hard on herself. She was a great girl and he saw that. The weird thing was that he never showed it the first months they hung out. He only pissed her off all the time. But something suddenly came to her head. Maybe it was like in grade school when the boys teased the girls they had a crush on. Oh no, it couldn't be. Gio was a full grown man for crying out loud.

Soon she only found herself thinking about how it would be to see him again. She was imagining how he would react. A side of her feared that he would get angry, which was a possibility. But he could also get really happy. She hoped so. Whatever reaction she would get from him, she would go there to see him. She had to find out. She had to tell him she was sorry and that she loved him.

After some long unbearable hours she landed in Rome and by that time she could barely walk out off the plane. She was in the same town as Gio. Now the challenge was how to get to him. Luckily Daniel had given her the address to the hotel. But her in Italy and she couldn't speak a word in Italian. Would anyone even understand her? She had heard they were bad at English.

"Taxi! Please, Taxi!"

Betty waved hysterically to the taxis that passed her just outside the airport. She had tried to stop one for almost ten minutes. And it had taken her an hour to leave the airport. Her bag intended to arrive when everybody else had gotten theirs. Typically her luck. And a man had spilled coffee all over her purple dress which was one of her favorites. Gio had comment it on her birthday. She changed to it on the plane. And THAT she didn't want to remember. Changing in a airplane restroom wasn't a thing she would recommend. Even if she had slipped twice in there and almost broke some 

bones she was very stubborn. She would look great to Gio. But hell, now that was ruined. Her chest was all brown, like some kid had barped on her. Gio would maybe think that too. It wasn't very sexy.

"TAXI!" she screamed in frustration and it seemed to work. A taxi slowed down and parked by her side . She got so happy she made a jump.

"Senora", the driver said when he got out of the car and took her bag.

"Please, it's senorita", she implied with a growth. She was tired of correcting people about her age. It was humiliating.

"I'm going there", she told the driver when she had gotten into the backseat and gave him the post-it with the address of the hotel.

"You are sure senora?"

The driver turned his head to her with a confused look. She wanted to hit him or something.

"Yes I am sure? Why?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "This is the finest hotel in Roma, I just thought you…"

"Well I am going to stay there, and it's senorita please!"

The driver got a scared look on his face before he started driving. Betty gave herself a pleased smile. She loved it when she stood up for herself. Gio had something to do with that. The thought of him made her smile even more. She couldn't wait to see him. She hadn't seen him since that day at the game. When she told him she couldn't go with him. She tried to not think about that moment. It had been horrible to reject him. She just wanted to cry when he got that debistaded look on his face, just before it changed into rage which made him throw a bat in the grown as hard as he could och barch away. He must of thought she was choosing Henry. She wanted to tell him she wasn't, but he had such a rush away she didn't get the chance. But now she would.

The cab parked by the entrance of the hotel that was only beautiful from outside. She paid the irritating driver before she got out. She waited for him to get out and get her the bag from the trunk, but it seemed like she would have to do that herself. She just sighed and took the bag. In the same moment she closed the trunk he drove away. She gave him a last sigh before she approached the entrance. Italians. The only Italian she liked was Gio.

"Are you checking in miss?" the receptionist asked when she approached the lobby desk. She shook her head with a smile. Finally someone who judged her age right. She felt so young.

"No, I am visiting someone. Where does Gio…"

Betty had to think. She didn't know his last name! She felt really stupid. She was in love with a guy and didn't know his last name!

The receptionist looked at her with a questioning look.

"Oh I'm sorry, I don't remember his last name."

"I only know it's Gio. Do you think that's a problem?"

The receptionist shrugged her shoulders. "I can take a look."

She looked at the screen for a long while before she shook her head.

"There's no Gio here, just three Giovanni. Maybe that's it?"

Betty had to think again. Yeah, maybe that was Gios real name. It made her laugh.

"It could be."

She felt kind of stupid. The woman must of think she didn't knew Gio that much. She didn't even know his name.

"Giovanni Belluno, Giovanni Marone and Giovanni Rossi. Does it ring a bell?"

Betty could feel her face turning red. She had no idea. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Then I don't know what else I can do."

"Well, I can get the room numbers for all three."

"I'm afraid I can't do that. You have to give me one name."

Betty got a surprised look. "Why?"

"Just rules."

"Do you actually have a rule for not giving away more than one room number to visitors?"

The woman just nodded in the same time she shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, then I will have to make a wild guess."

She had to think for a second. Which of them sounded the most like Gio? It was impossible. All of the three did. They were all Giovanni.

"Okay, I will taaaake…"

She could hear herself sounding like she was on a restaurant ordering something from the menu.

"Giovanni Marone. Sounds kind of sexy."

The woman made a weird face. "Tenth floor, room 324."

"Well, thanks."

"Italians", Betty said with a sigh when she turned around and walked up to the lifts.

When she came up to the tenth floor her heart was beating faster than it ever had this day. She was sure Gio was Giovanni Marone. She just knew it. When walked down the hallway with shaking legs. She would see him really soon. It felt so unreal.

When she approached room 324 she was sweating hardly. Especially her palms and her heart was about to burst. She knocked the door really careful. She heard steps. She took a deep breath.

But there a awfully big man appeared. He looked like a forty year old football. It wasn't Gio, that was for sure.

"Giovanni Marone?"

The man nodded with a flirty smile. Betty made a made a face she couldn't even name.

"Sorry, I am looking for another Giovanni."

She turned around and walked away. She couldn't hear the man closing the door. "I can be that Giovanni!"

She almost started running. Creepy. Not until she had rushed about ten doors away she realized she had guessed the wrong name. She just chose it because it sounded sexy and Gio was sexy. It had made kind of sense. Now she changed her mind about that theory.

But what would she do now? She couldn't go down and ask that weird receptionist again. She had to stand against the wall in that narrow hallway for a long while trying to figure out what to do. Then she realized she just didn't had another choice then just knock doors. She sighed and dragged herself to the nearest door. Room 330 Wrong door. Room 331, wrong. Room 332, wrong again. Room 333, wrong... and that went on until she had covered the entire floor without no Gio.

The ninth floor was all the same. She got to see a whole a lot of people. Some a bit scary, some just creepy as Giovanni Marone on the tenth floor, some kind of hot (but not Gio-hot), some just really rude. On her way to the eight floor she felt really exhausted. One side of her wanted to give up, another one could do this all night. Seeing Gio would be worth it.

By every new door her expectations where at the highest and then just sink to the lowest when she was met by a strangers eyes. It was exhausting.

By the time she had met the half of the guests in the hotel she was at the edge of giving up. She had decided to go to another cheaper hotel to get some sleep . She couldn't do it anymore. By every door she just got more depressed. Every time she was met by a strangers eyes, not Gios eyes she wanted to cry.

She approached the lifts and pushed the button while she made a deep sigh and dried off a tear from her right cheek. She was so tired of these damn yellow hallways she wanted to puke at them.

About five minutes later the lift finally arrived. Betty made a relieved gust.

But there was someone in the lift. It couldn't be. She was dreaming. She was so tired she was hallucinating. It wasn't Gio who stood there.

It wasn't real. She was so sure that she was either hallucinating or dreaming that she didn't got surprised or anything. She only stood there.

But Gio, that obviously was just a vision looked chocked. And he suddenly said: "Betty?"

Betty backed a little when she started to doubt on her theory of him not being real.

"Oh my god", he continued and got out of the lift. By that time she realized it was real. Gio actually stood there in front of her. She had found him. He looked more gorgeous than ever. He wore his leather jacket over a white shirt and blue jeans. His hair had growth some on his head.

"You are here, here in Rome!"

Betty started to think _he_ was doubting on her being real.

"Yes I am. I've been looking for you all night."

She could feel some tears coming up but she forced them back with all the strength she had left.

"Why did you come here?" Gio asked with the same surprised look. Betty was relieved he didn't ask that question with a serious look.

"Because I wanted to see you. I changed my mind."

A tear escaped from her left eye.

"About marrying Henry?"

She shook her head. "I didn't say yes. I turned him down too."

Gio looked confused.

"I couldn't made such a decision. It was too much for me. I decided to choose myself by going on a trip with Daniel to Paris."

Gio still looked confused. "You realize you're not in Paris?"

She just had to laugh in the same time some tears were flowing down her cheeks.

"Yes. I am in Rome standing in front of the guy I love."

It took Gio a while to pick up what she had said and by the time he did he gave her a smile which woke her heart up and it started to beat really hard.

"Betty, I love you too."

She couldn't help to burst those tears out. Gio took the step which was left between them and suddenly his face was really close to hers. Before she knew it he wriggled his arms around her and pushed his lips against hers. A quick shiver flowed through her body as she felt his tongue gently touching her upper lip.

"Thank you Daniel", she thought by the time she kissed Gio back.


End file.
